"What can the bowlers do?" - Irfan Pathan lauds Sanju Samson's knock in Rajasthan Royals' IPL 2024 loss to Delhi Capitals

Irfan Pathan has noted that Sanju Samson virtually made the bowlers defenseless in the Rajasthan Royals' (RR) IPL 2024 clash against the Delhi Capitals (DC). He lauded the RR skipper's strokeplay all around the ground.

The Capitals set the Royals a 222-run target in Delhi on Tuesday, May 7. Although Samson smashed a 46-ball 86, the hosts won the game by 20 runs to climb into fifth position on the points table.

Reviewing the game on Star Sports, Pathan praised Samson for scoring runs all around the park and making the bowlers feel helpless.

"He plays big shots in front of the wickets, whether it is long-off, long-on or midwicket, but you will also see him scoring runs behind square. He doesn't play the lap shot but scored runs in all four directions of the ground and with proper cricketing shots," he said.

"Khaleel Ahmed bowled a perfect yorker, he did everything he could as a bowler, but he (Samson) sliced it for a four. What can the bowlers do? He is in that kind of form. He makes the bowlers totally weaponless. He makes the bowlers lose their morale. He is batting like that and it is enjoyable to watch," the former India all-rounder added.

Samson struck eight fours and six sixes during his 86-run knock. He was virtually a lone warrior for the Royals as none of their other players could reach even 30.

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"He would have won the match if he hadn't gotten out" - Irfan Pathan on Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson was given out to a debatable catch. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Irfan Pathan reckons Sanju Samson would have taken the Rajasthan Royals to a win had he stayed until the end.

"He would have won the match if he hadn't gotten out. He was batting in a zone. Neither fast bowlers nor spinners were proving effective against him. He was easily hitting sixes off the back foot. He played along the ground as well where he hit fours with timing," he stated.

The cricketer-turned-commentator noted that the wicketkeeper-batter seemed to be reading the bowlers' minds.

"He either has a back-and-across initial movement or he comes slightly forward. He was preempting the bowlers' lengths and what they were going to bowl, and batting incredibly well," Pathan observed.

Samson was caught at long-on by Shai Hope off Mukesh Kumar's bowling. Although the images seemed inconclusive, the third umpire ruled in the fielder's favor.